//------------------------------// // Conflicting Thoughts // Story: Ben 10: Equestria Pony // by MLPFan98 //------------------------------// Ponyville “These Power Ponies are so cool!”  “I know right?” Ben and Spike were both in the park reading the comic issue of Power Ponies, Spike's favorite comic series. Twilight was reorganizing the library and Rook offered to help her, and this gave Twilight the opportunity to give the little dragon the day off, and as such Ben decided that today would be a good day for him and Spike. “Hey, if you go back to your world, you think you can lend me one of those Sumo Slammers you talk about?” Ben smiled and ruffled the dragon's head. “You bet buddy.” He said with a smile as the two kept on reading the book. As they read, Ben noticed that Spike started to frown a bit. “Spike you ok?” He asked. Spike looked up and smiled. “Huh? Me? Sure am dude, never better.” He said with a smile, but Ben knew otherwise. “Spike…” Ben said. “I have dealt with stubbornness before, and I know there's something wrong with you.” He said to the young dragon, who looked away. “C'mon, it's just us, I won't tell anyo-anypony, promise.” He said, correcting his speech. Spike looked at Ben and sighed as they put the comic down. “Ben…have you ever felt…useless?” He asked, making Ben look confused. “I mean…without your watch…have you ever felt that way?” He asked. Ben was a bit surprised at the question, but he let out a sigh. “To be honest with you, yes.” He said. “Why do you ask?” Spike sighed. “Sometimes, I feel…useless and not needed. Around Twilight and the others.” He said. Ben frowned at this. Why would he say such a thing? “What do you mean?” He asked. “From what Twilight tells me, you're a big help, you help her organize, you send messages, and Rarity often mentions how helpful you are in designing her outfits.” “That's the point!” Spike exclaimed to him. “I feel like that's all I am good at…menial labor.” He then looked up. “Whenever Twilight and the others go off on awesome adventures…I usually always get left behind, either to look after the castle or other stuff.” He sighed as he got off the bench. “I mean it makes sense, they all got magic! Strength! And what about me? I’m just a short dragon who can't do anything to help!” Spike then shook a bit as he felt tears go down his face. “I always get in the way…and let's not even mention how I went overboard helping Applejack that one time…am I just useless?” He asked as he began to weep silently, lost in astate of sadness. But then he felt a forearm wrap around and bring him into a hug. “Spike,” Ben said to him. “I might not know much about your past adventures, but I doubt the girls think that about you.” He said to him with a small smile. “Is there a time you recall her asking you to stay home for any reason other than what you said to me?” He asked. Spike sniffled. “Well, there was her birthday party…but I was sick and couldn't go, even though I wanted to, Twilight instead I stayed home to get better…but why couldn't she have had the birthday some other time?” He asked. “And then there was the time where the others met Pinkie’s sister Maud.” “Maud…” Ben said. “Oh yea, Pinkie mentioned something about having sisters.” He said. Spike nodded. “Everypony got to meet Maud but me, I didn't get a chance to…now why was that? Was it because Twilight was embarrassed to see me? A small baby dragon?” Ben frowned a t him. “Spike, you know that's not true. You know how some people tend to forget things without meaning to hurt them” He said, but then frowned. “Ok, maybe that was a bad thing to say, but you know what I mean.” He said. Spike looked at him and then down. “I just…why doesn't she let me come? I might be small, but I can fight, and I can breathe fire…I can be helpful too.” He said as he gave a deep breath. “I wish she could see that.” He said, but then he looked at Ben, the Omnitirx, and his eyes winded. “Ben, may-” “No,” Ben simply said, making Spike look at him with confusion. “You don't even know how to ask.” “You were going to ask me if I can turn into one of my aliens and pretend to attack the place so you could get some recognition and the answer is no.” Ben said to him. “Look, you're already the hero of the Crystal Empire right?” Spike nodded. “Spike, you don't need to prove anything to anypony here. You are helpful and kind, and if anypony has an issue with it, it's their loss, not yours.” He said to him, Spike looked at him and frowned again, looking down. “Hey, why don't we go get ourselves some Ice Cream, I’ll pay.” Spike looked up and gave a small smile. “I’d like that, Ben.” He said as he hopped on Ben's back and the two made off for some delicious treats. 10 minutes later…. Ben and Spike were walking together with ice creams. “So, feeling better yet?” Ben asked him. “A little,” Spike said as he took a big lick of his frozen treat. “Hey Ben, hey Spike!” They both turned to see Sweetie Belle trotting up to them and smiling. The two boys smiled and said hi back to her. “Whatcha doin?”  “We were stopping for some ice cream, what about you? Off on another crusade?” Ben asked. Sweetie Belle sighed. “No, Rarity needs help with her designs, and Apple Bloom has to help with chores at the orchard, Scootaloo is hanging with Dinky…so no crusadin’ today unfortunately.” She said with a sigh. Spike took a glance at Sweetie Belle and he had a faint blush on his face, now why was that? “D-Do you need any help with the design?” Spike asked. “I could help hold things.” He said. Sweetie Belle frowned. “No, I don’t want you to be sued as a pincushion again.” she said to him, making Ben raise an eyebrow. “Pincushion?” He asked. “Long story…” Sweetie Belle said to him with a roll of her eyes. Spike snorted. “Sweetie, did you forget about my thick-” “Still, I don't like seeing you get hurt!” She said, “I have seen it before and I don’t want it to happen again.” She said to him, if one could tell there was some pink dusting on her face. Ben noticed the blush on both faces and he smirked to himself. “Seems like these two are crushing on each other.” He thought with a grin as he finished up his ice cream.  Spike looked away. “Well..ok then.” He said. Sweetie Belle smiled. “Good, now I gotta get going otherwise Rarity will go into drama mode.” Spike chuckled. “Seems to be her specialty.” He said as the two kids shared a laugh, and then they stopped they just looked at eachother. “Ok…well…see ya.” Sweetie Belle said as she began to trot away. “See you later, Ben!” She said Ben smiled and waved as she took off, he then turned to Spiek to see the dragon blushing still. “So…Sweetie Belle huh?” He asked. Spike shook out of his daze and looked up at Ben. “What? What are you talking about?” “Now, don't lie to me bro, I saw you blushing at talking to her, and she was doing the same. You both like eachother don't you?” He asked. Spike looked at him for a moment before sighing. “Well…sorta.” He said. “Now I don’t know if you were told…but Inused to have a crush on Rarity.” Ben nodded. “Yea, Twilight told me something about that, what does this have to do with things?” Spike sighed. “Well it was sometime after Cadence and Shining Armors Wedding. Me and Sweetie Belle shared a dance together, and during that time, I felt a bit different, almost as if I felt about Rarity…and after a while…my crush for her had lessened. And sometime as I hung out more with Sweetie Belle and the other Crusaders…I felt myself developing feelings for her.” “Well, why don't you ask her out then?” He asked. “Are you nuts? After just getting over Rarity? Wouldn't that make me look weird? I just got over Rarity and now I’m crushing on her sister…like isn’t that weird?” Ben pondered that thought. “Well…uh…” He then shrugged his shoulders. “I don't know what to say in that regard.” “Gee, thanks.” Spike muttered. “So…what should we do now?” He asked. Ben thought it over. “Maybe we should go see if anypony needs help with something. Maybe go see if Derpy needs help with mail delivery again.” He said as the two made their walk. “So Ben, can I ask you another question?” Spike asked with Ben nodding his head. “Have you…well…ever been in a relationship?” Ben snorted. “Jeez Spike, you really know how to ask them huh?” He asked with a  slight laugh. “Well…yes, I was.” Ben sighed. “Her name is Julie…and we were good to each other….until we ended it.” He said, with a spike raising an eyebrow. “You see, during the years of herp work, it as harder and harder to get to hang with Julie *sigh* so we both thought it would be wise to just end it on mutual terms.” Ben then frowned as he looked to the ground. Even years later he missed Julie. Spike frowned too. “Sorry buddy.” He said. But Ben smiled and grabbed Spike in a headlock and gave him a playful noogie. “No sweat, dude.” Ben said. “But I…I don’t know, I mean I would like to start a relationship, but how though? I’m so busy with hero work. Of course ever since I recreated the universe, things have slowed a bit, but it still pops up from time to time. And now that Vilgax and Albedo are in the picture” He gave hooves himself. “I don't know ... .besides who would give me the time of day?” He sighed a bit. Who would give him the time of day? “Well,” Spike said to him. “Maybe…somepony here? In this world?” He asked. Ben looked at him as if he was crazy. “Spike, seriously?” He asked. “What?” the dragon asked with confusion. “I’m just saying, many mares around here don't have any special pony…and well you are pretty nice too.”  Ben sighed. “Sorry Spie, I didn't mean to sound offended. But at heart I'm still a human though, I mean, a human dating a pony? It just doesn't seem right.” “Well sure, but ponies are a separate species entirely, not like the ones back in your world.” Spike countered. Ben had to give him credit for that one, and it was true, the ponies here acted like any other human…even if they were different. “Dude, don’t say that there is not at least one or two mares you wouldn't mind dating.” He said. Ben looked away and blushed a bit. “Well..I mean..there are a few…” He said, with Spike smirking at him. “C’mon dude I can keep a secret, who is it?” He asked. Ben sighed. “Well…ok….Derpy is one of them.” He said. “And it's not because her eyes are crossed, but she is really nice, sweet, doesn't let her eyes get her down, and she is very caring for Dinky.” He said. Spike nodded. “Ok, good start, and who else?” He asked. “Oh no! You already got me to admit one of them, I ain't telling anymore.” Ben huffed as he turned back around. His attention turned to Twilight and the other Mane 6, he won't deny that he found all of them attractive in their one way. Twilight for being a kind bookworm, Applejack for being a hard worker, Rainbow Dash for being fast and begin simply awesome, Fluttershy for her kindness despite her shyness, Rarity for being generous enough to give him and Rook clothes free of charge and Pinkie Pie for throwing both of them a great party. Ben thought they were all nice and attractive, but he was not about to admit it though. Was Spike right? Could he find love here? Of course he is a human at heart…but still. He then took a deep breath, he wanted to make sure if thai attractiveness for these mares would last, was it a small rash on all of them, Derpy included? Or was it not? “BEN!” The hero snapped out of his thoughts to turn to Spiek who was looking annoyed. “I tried calling you a few times and you zoned out on me.” Ben blushed a bit and rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry buddy, what were you saying?” He asked. Spike sighed. “I thought we were going to head over to the post office to help out Derpy.” He said, and that made Ben winded his eyes in relation and blush a bit. “Oh right, we were going to do that huh?” Ben asked. “Alright then, let us make haste for the post office!” He said as he and the small dragon began to walk. “You know, spike.” Ben said to him. “If you really feel that way about Twilight and the girls…maybe you should talk to her about it, her and the others as well.”  Spike looked up at him. “You think so?” He asked, with Ben nodding his head. This made Spike look down in thought. “Should I really talk to her about this?” He asked himself. Ponyville Post Office Ben and Spice made their way to the post office and walked inside to see Derpy at the desk and she was smiling at them. “Ben, Spike, hi!” “Hey Derps.” Ben said with a wave of his hoof, making Derpy look away and blush at him calling her that. “Spike and I were wondering if there was anything you need help with. We’re both bored out of our minds.” “So bored.” Spike agreed, making Derpy giggle at. “Well, I do need some help with mail deliveries, would you both be interested in helping me?” Derpy asked, and she smiled bigger when Ben and Spike nodded their heads. “I need some mail delivered to Canterlot, and Manehatten, do you think you can take the mail to Manehatten and I can take it to Canterlot?” Ben and Spike both saluted. “Yes, ma’am.” They said din unison. “Jinx!”  Derpy giggled again and she handed Spike the mail for Manehatten. “And that should be fine, I don't want you both to work too hard. Ben waved a hoof. “Bah, we dont mind.” “Besides we’re both bored, remember?” Spike said as he looked at Ben. “So I suppose you just turn into that Jetray guy and fly us to Manehatten?” He asked. Ben smirked and he activated the Omnitrix, and when the light vanished, he was now XLR8. “Alright little buddy, get on my back.” the Kineceleran said to the dragon, who looked very spooked but nonetheless nodded and got on his back. He then turned to Derpy. “Be back soon.” He said with a wink as he then dashed right out of the office, with Spike screaming. Derpy could feel her blush going up again. “Oh, Celestia.” She thought as she smiled and went off in la la land at the thought of her and Ben being together. Castle of Friendship Twilight was reshelving some books and luckily Rook was there to help her, and she appreciated it very much. “Hey Rook,” Twilight said to him. “What did you think of Earth when you got there? And your opinions on humans?” Rook smiled. “Well Earth is very different and I am still learning new things even to this very day.” He then put a book onto the shelf. “And with Ben, I could not be any more gracious.” He said. Twilight looked at him. “You and Ben are close huh?” She asked. Rook gave a small smile. “Yea, remember I did say that at first he was not too thrilled with me as his partner, but he got used to it over time, and now we are like brothers.” Rook said. “I couldn't ask for a better partner than him.” He said. “I could say the same thing about you and the others.” Twilight smiled as well. “You know, when I was young, I didn't know a thing about friendship, it was always me, my big brother and Spike. I used to think that friendship was a distraction.” Twilight then stopped shelving and thought of the many times that her and the other girls were together. “But when I moved here...I realized how much of a silly fool I was. Spike, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity changed my life, there is nopony else I could trade them with. They are my best friends...my family.” She said as a lone tear came out of her eye. Rook smiled at her for saying this, these girls and dragon seemed to care for each other quite a lot, especially if Twilight is saying something like that. But then he frowned. “I wonder where Ben and Spike are at, they should be back by now.” Twilight shook her head. “I’m sure Ben is fine, and Spike is with him so I know Ben will make sure he stays out of trouble.” She said with a giggle, with a rook smiling. “I guess so.” He said with a grin of his own. Twilight then looked over at Rook. “Hey, Rook, I have a question, how come you don't use contractions?” She asked him. Rook then sighed. “On my planet, Contractions are considered bad language to us Revonaganders.” He said, making Twilight raise an eyebrow. “Do not ask me, Ben is just as confused as well.” Twilight did feel her eye twitch a bit as hearing at how a planet doesn't use contraction, but she took an inward breath, not wanting to start a scene. “Another question, does Ben…well…have a girlfriend?”  Rook then raised an eyebrow at that as well. “Uh…why are you asking that?” Twilight then turned away, a blush forming on her face. “Just wondering…” she said, still avoiding Rook's glaze due to her face turning red. “Well, he did. Her name was Julie if I remember correctly.” He said. “They apparently ended their relationship on mutual terms, Ben was busy with hero work and it made things difficult for them. They broke up, but they are still friends ... .but sometimes I catch Ben looking at couples and I can see him frown a bit at the sight.” Twilight looked away from Rook and down to a loan book. “Poor Ben.” She thought. “Well, maybe he can find somepony else...maybe I can help him too!” She thought with a smile. “I know there's plenty of mares around here lonely for some companionship, like m-” but she then stopped as soon as he was about to say that. Was she going to desrbir herself? The very thought of her and Ben together was…well..he wa s human, very different form ponies, but a part of her was kinda feeling soe butterflies in her stomach at the thought of her and Ben together. “Is it posible?” She asked herself, feeling a bit confused. "Of course, maybe if we hang out more and get to know each other a little better." Ponyville Ben and Spike had just gotten back from delivering the mail and were now back to walking around aimlessly.  “Since I’m here, maybe I should get a temporary job.” Ben mused. “Maybe the post office? So Derpy doesn't feel overwhelmed.” “Sure,” Spike said. “I already got a job of course.” He said with a smirk, a smirk that Ben returned. “Maybe we can go to Rarity's boutique to see if she needs help?” “Oh, help? Or just so you can see Sweetie Belle?” Ben asked with a teasing look. “Shut up.” Spike muttered, with Ben laughing a bit. “Calm down bud, I'm just messing with you." Ben said. "But if you want to go to the boutique, we can go.” He said with a smile, and with that, Spike smiled back and the two made their way to the boutique Rarity’s Boutique Ben and Spike finally arrived and opened up the door. “Be right there!” Rarity's voice called from somewhere as Sweetie Belle then popped her head to see who entered. “Ben, Spike!” the filly said with a smile as she went up to them. And then if by some coincidence, Rarity then entered the room in a dash. “Ben, Spike, what a pleasant surprise!” She said with a smile. “What are you both doing here?” Spike looked over at Sweetie Belle and blushed a bit. “Well, we..uh…well.”  Ben sighed. “We were wondering if you needed any help with something, like maybe needing help holding onto a  piece of fabric while you stitched it in or something?” He asked. Rarity thought about it. “Well, I am good for now darling, but there is one problem.” She then frowned. “I am out of green sapphires that I was going to use for my newest design. Now what will I do?” She cried dramatically as she then pulled a couch from somewhere. “Oh, how could I run out? Why?” She cried. Ben sweatdropped at this and turned to the two younger ones. “Is she always this dramatic over something small?” “Yep,” Spike and Sweetie Belle said in unison, without hesitation. Ben thought about what she said, and he had an idea.  "Rarity, you said you needed gens right?" He asked. Rarity sniffled and nodded. "I don't have sapphires but I think I got the next best thing." He said as he activated his Omnitrix and scrolled through, with Spike and Sweetie Belle peering over to look. "What are you looking for?" Spike asked him. Ben smirked. "You'll see." He said as he found the alien and the core popped out. "Everypony and the dragon stand back." He said as they did and he hit the dial, engulfing him in bright green light. When the light vanished, standing in his place was a large humanoid crystal creature whose lower body, torso, and top of his head consisted of indigo crystal with black lines on it. There were six shards on his back, two shards on his chest, and had the Omnitrix symbol on his chest. This is Diamondhead, the Omnitirx’s sample of the Petrosapien species from the planet Petropia. "Diamondhead!" He examined in a deep voice. Spike and Sweetie Belle looked at him with awe and stars in their eyes.  Rarity however. "Sweet Celestia...SO MAGNIFIQUE!" She squealed as she looked around him. Admiring all of the gemstones on his body. "Darling, this new form of yours is so Divine! The Gems and the indigo that compliments you!" "Well," The Petrosapien said with a smirk. "Anyway, you need gems right? Well." He then extended his amr and fired off some shards into the nearby wall, getting stuck there. “One order of gems, coming right up!” He said with a grin as he pressed on the dial and turned back into Ben. “Hopefully that can give you some ideas.” He said to her, Rarity looked at the crystals and smiled widely even if they were stuck to the wall..she had some gems. “Ben, you're wonderful!” Rarity said as she went over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, making the green stallion blush a dark crimson red as Rarity smiled widely at the gems in the wall. “I got some new ideas!”  As she went over to the diamonds, Spike saw them and lickd his lips. “I wonder how they taste.” He said with a  hungry look. Ben looked down at him and smiled. “Well I’m sure Rarity can spare a few of them for you, buddy.” He said. “So you're going to stay here?” He asked, with Spike nodding his head in agreement. "Kay, then." He said as he was about to head out the door, but not before he looked back to see Spike and Sweetie Belle going over to help out Rarity and he smiled. "Spike and Sweetie Belle sitting in a tree." He thought with a snicker, but then he thought about the small kiss Rarity gave him on the cheek and he blushed a bit. Outside, Ben took a breather and he slumped down a bit. "Could Spike be true? I mean the mares I met are attractive, but at heart I'm still a human..wouldn't it be weird?" He asked himself. "And plus I just met these girls…maybe if we hang out more we c-Gah what am I thinking?" He asked with frustration. "Jeeze, I'm so confused.” He said with a sigh as he slumped down a bit. Meanwhile, inside the boutique, Rarity was already brainstorming some new ideas, and thanks to those shard Ben gav her, she counts any better ideas. As she was brainstorming, Spike and Sweetie Belle were sitting together as Spike ate a piece of Diamondhead shard. “Well?” the filly asked him with curiosity. Spike gave it a few more matches as he thought of the taste. “Hmm, a bit crunchy, and kinda has a distinct flavoring to it, kinda like a blue raspberry flavor.” He said as he gulped it. “But dang that's delicious.” He said as he patted his stomach. Sweetie Belle giggled a bit. “I bet.” She said as she saw Spike’s smile and a part of her began to blush a bit. “So, Spike…how have you been recently?” Spike looked at her and shrugged. “Eh, same old stuff, helping Twilight, making sure she doesn't go overboard with her usual bookish stuff.” He said, making Sweetie Belle giggle a bit. “She does have a tendency to do that.” she said, with Spike nodding. “You have no idea.” he said as the two laughed about it. Spike saw Sweetie Belle and asked a question of his own. “So how are your parents?” He asked. Sweetie Belle looked at him and down. “Oh..good I guess…I haven't really heard from them for a while now…” she said with a sad tone of voice, making Spike look with concern. “I hope they haven't forgotten about me.” “Hey now, don't talk like that.” Spike said to her. “I’m sure they haven't, maybe wherever they are, they can't find a  mailbox or a post office.” Sweetie Belle frowned though. “I guess…” She said with a small sigh, but then she felt something touch her hoof and she looked like it belonged to a certain purple dragon and she looked at ihm, in which he gave her a smile. “Sweetie, don’t worry I'm sure you will see them again.” He said to her, Sweetie Belle was just…well…he was touching her hoof and he was smiling at her…her face was beginning to heat up. “T-thank you..!” She said, gulping a bit. And Spike himself felt his face heat up.